This invention relates to a tube expander with a means for transferring heat exchanger units and more particularly to a tube expander with a means for automatically and successively transporting partially assembled-heat exchange units having tubes therein into a tube expanding area, securing them in position, and bringing them out of the expanding area to the next subsequent process after expanding the tubes, which can eliminate troublesome works such as manually supplying and removing of the heat exchangers in tube expanding process.
A conventional apparatus with a means for transporting the heat exchanger units into the tube expanding area in tube expanding process is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. A tube expander 26 includes a reciprocable slide member 18 which can be moved vertically via a cylinder 17, and a plurality of mandrels 19 which are suspended from the reciprocable slide member 18. A mounting table 23 is mounted on a base 24 so as to be pivotally driven by a hydraulic cylinder 2S via a pivotally moving mechanism of predetermined construction. A plurality of heat exchanger units having radiation fins 20 and tubes 21 inserted thereinto mounted on the mounting table 23 are introduced into a space to which the reciprocating member is moved. The apparatus of this arrangement reciprocating member is moved. The apparatus of this arrangement is generally used in tube expanding process.
In the above arrangement, when the heat exchanger unit 22 is to be supplied into the tube expander 26, the heat exchanger unit 22 is transported by a cart or the like to an area where the tube expanding process is carried out, and a worker manually transfers it onto the mounting table 23 and sets it in position one by one.
However, the above arrangement is disadvantageous in the fact that the heat exchanger unit 22 has to be manually set on and removed from the mounting table 23 after every expanding of the tubes 21 of the heat exchanger unit 22. In addition, the heat exchanger unit 22 with the expanded tubes 21 has to be transported to the next process by a transporting means.
To solve the above problem, there has been proposed an apparatus (not shown) which includes a conveyor for conveying the heat exchanger units 22 which extends to the mounting table 23 of the tube expander 26. With this arrangement, troublesome work for setting the heat exchanger unit 22 could be reduced. However, since elements of the partially assembled heat exchanger unit 22 such as unexpanded tubes 21 and the radiation fins 20 are not securely connected to each other, the tubes 21 may drop out of the radiation fins 20, and undesirous distortion or the like may occur in an overall shape thereof during the movement. Accordingly, it is difficult to simply convey the partially assembled heat exchanger unit 22 by means of the conveyor or the like. consuming due to the time necessary to set the heat exchanger unit 22 on the mounting table 23, and transfer the heat exchanger unit 22 therefrom to the transporting means for transporting the same to the next process, which may lower the effectiveness of the overall manufacturing process of the heat exchanger unit 22.
Further, since various types of the heat exchanger unit 22 which includes the radiation fins 20, and tubes 21 inserted therethrough having different outer diameters, patterns or the like, have to be expanded as usual, different tube-receiving members 27 corresponding in number, outer diameter, pattern or the like to the tubes mounted in the heat exchanger unit 22 have to be prepared and set in position, which may require a troublesome work.